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Capri Connection: Good vibrations at Sweetheart Banquet

ahall7911@coconuttele.net ;
Published 10:00 a.m. ET Feb. 20, 2014

Tim Irving, Beverly Holmes, Barbara and John Cowden entertain the Sweetheart Banquet guests with imitation of the Mamas and Papas of the 1960s.
(Photo:
Ann Hall/Sun Times
)

The theme for this year’s Sweetheart Banquet hosted by Capri Christian Church was Good Vibrations, and a good night it was, according to the 165 in attendance. The mood was romantic and warm, and the smells coming from the kitchen would entice anyone.

This special event is historic. The men cook and serve a gourmet meal for their ladies. This event has become one of the highlights of the seasonal activities.

“We brought the ’60s back with the really groovy table decorations and entertainment that included the Mamas and the Papas starring our own John and Barbara Cowden, Tim Irving and Beverly Holmes,” said Steve Dawes, church music pastor. The guests were rocking in their seats as they heard the group perform “Monday, Monday” and “California Dreaming.”

As if that were not enough to get the evening started off on the right note, the next group on stage were The Chordettes featuring more of Capri’s own Jack and Lynn Giles, Beverly Holmes, KC Douglas, and “Silly,” “Sassy,” Sally Johnson belting out the song, “Lollipop.”

Ron Wooten provided some of his well-known interpretations of a series of Elvis hits, and Jan Butz brought the house down with “Zing Went the Strings of My Heart.”

“We are blessed with some talented folk at Capri,” said Dawes, also an entertainer for this well-loved event. For almost two hours, Dawes played the keyboard, guitar and entertained the guests. There was not a dry eye in the banquet room when he performed “The Prayer” written by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa and Tony Renis and made popular by Celine Dion as a duet with Josh Groban and also with Andrea Bocelli.

Dale Williamson, Jack Addy, Eddie Hall and their team of cooks were commended and cheered by the crowds as they took their famous “Cooks Parade” at the conclusion of the night. These guys worked all week gathering all of the food from a host of different merchants. They then spent all day on the day of the banquet doing prep work and grilling. They chopped, diced, sliced and minced 22 items for toppings to accompany their famous all-you-can-eat salad bar that serves as the prelude to the main meal.

The entree was a tender grilled chicken, accompanied by homemade creamy, cheesy potatoes and an array of irresistibly delicious desserts. Pastor Curt Ayers even stopped by the morning of the banquet to make the potatoes before heading for the airport to fly to his home town in Illinois to be with his family for his father’s funeral services.

Linda Addy served as the banquet chair this year, her first. She was commended for planning the theme, gathering and coordinating a host of volunteers to help serve, decorate and clean up after the event.